Beet-harvester.



H. V., 0. s. & G. P. LEB. BBET HARVESTER..

APPLICATION AFILED MAY 15. 1909.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. V., 0. S. & C. F. LEE.

BBET HARVESTER. A APPLIOATION FILED MAY 15,1909.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' @Rhmann H. V., 0. s. & o. F. LEB.k

BEET HARVESTER. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 15, 1909.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

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H. V., O. S. 6L C. F. LEE.

ik BBBT HARVESTER. APPLIQATION FILED 11u15, 1909.

Patented Nov. 2, 1909. 4 SHEETS-SHBET 4.

ENAN8-N1 MMA Wimax@ Z9/88% li orizontal i' i i' it it HERsoHnL v. LEE, oRLAN s. LEE.

HAUTE, INDIANA.

AND CRAWFORD F. LEE ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF T0 ALBERT E. HAZELRIGG Specifica tion of Letters Patent.

i BEET-HARVESTER- Application filed May 15, 1909. Serial No. 496.197".

machines tor, harvesting beets or similar vegetables. I

rl`lie'object oi the invention is to provide a simple and practical machine of this character which has improved means tor digging the beets, improved means for pulling and elevating them and improved means for cutting or topping them, means being also provided for conveying the body portions of the beets to a wagon which travels alongside of the machine.-

1With the above. and other objects in. view, the invention consists of the novel .features of construction and the combination and ai'- rangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings7 in which- Figure l is a plan view of the improved beet harvester; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation; Fig. 4; is a detail section taken on the plane indicated by the iine fit-4c in Fie' Fig. A5 is a s b. ,J7 u detail vertical section taken on the plane indica ed by the line 5-5 in Fig. l; Fie'. 6 is a' detail vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the line (')wt in Fig. l; and Fig. T is a detail vertical section taken on the plane. indica ted by the line 7--7 in Fig. 3.

The main frame or body of the machine is preferably composed ol? longitudinal side beams l united by a rear cross beam 2 and by a series of upright arches 3, Li; (5. rlhe rear portion of the frame is mounted on su pporting and drive or axle 8 arranged transversely on the intermediate portions of the side beams l. Pivted at S) to the trent arch G is a draft tongue il() to which the animals are hitched. For the purpose of raising' and lowering the front end of the i ame, the rear end oi said b'nigae is connected by links l1 to a centrali arranged arm i2 on a transverse rock sha t 13 journaled in upright bearing bracketslt wheels 'T carried by a shaft y.

i on the forward portions of l "ixed to one end of the ro f adjusting` lever'l carrying l pawl 1G for engagement; lockingV raclt 1T fixed l ist, whereby the be secured in'an adjusted l 'i i8 denotes a drivers seat l the side. beams ot the train l the lever l5.

strains carnage onirica.

. OF YOUNGSIOWN, INDIANA, AND CLAY LADD, OF TERRE Patented Nov. 2, 1909.

the side beams l. ck shaft 13 is an a hand retracted with a segmental to one of the brackets front end of the frame may iosition. secured to one of ewithin reach of The beet or vegetable digging mechanism comprises two .inwardly and forwardly turned digging plowsl i9 lower ends ot.' standards 2() the forward portions ot t and reiuloiced b v inclined braces il.

clearly shown in Fig. 2. rl'l provided on the dependingfrom he side beams l as iis digging mechadvance ot the beet' pulling and elevating1 mechanism presently explained. but in. :re-ar of u up the foliage. of -the beets and and l' anisui is arranged in l This improved 'loli thcin into the pulling amsni.

leans ior picking directing elevating mechage elevating and dellecting mechanism consists of two arms attached to the trout ends l and inclined d in a forward direction a extremities curved d ngers pick the 'Foliage up and deflect il.

ot the side beams owuwardl)y :ind inwardly nd having their ownivardly and out wardly to iorm dellect'ing fingers 2?.

These oil' of the ground against the inner convergingstretches of Vt'oliage elevating chains 2st disl l posed in an upwardly clined plane.

Q4 pass around lguide spi ljournaled on the arms Q2 Ilends ot said chains pass i sprocket ivliccls 2b inoiiiilci l plaincd.

l The improved beet l mechanism eon'iprises a pl posed pairs ot flexible cnd i sprocket chains between gripped. Said suporposed l and elevating chains whic and Yrearwardly in The lo'ivcr ends oi'V the chains ocket' wheels 25 and the upper around driving` l as prescuttiv exn pulliiu;l and elevating uralit'v of superless belts such as the opposing stretches o1 runs ot which the 'foliage oit the e gripping action ie opposing rims are otl'set. laterally he next adjacent of the beets will as clearly shown in Fig. 5, to cause the beets to be effectively pairs of pullin" h are designate tlO i u pw a idly and rearwardly so that the beets will he pulled und elevated and said elriins pass around sprocket wheels 28, -29 j upwardly and inwardly incline@ 3L The short 'forward shafts 30 are jour naled in bearing brackets 35 lixed to the side beams ll and on these shafts are also fixed the sprocket wheels 2li so that the foliage elevating ehztins or belts will be driven from tl pulling and elevuting iiieehunisni. The rear eliafts 5l ure of renter length and have their upper ends iournaled in bein-ings 34 on the aifeh F while their lower ends une, journaled in bearings 3:3 carried by s, tinus-- verse eountershan 'Sourrunged i lie portion of the traine und journulwl in beni ings 37 upon its side beams l, For the purpose of holding the inner stretches ol the pulling and elevating ehuius or belts close to each other and supporting them against lateral pressure, pairs of lardo and small flanged rollers 38 ure mounted on upright shells 3Q carried by longitudinal bars l0, wn .li latter have bent or ol'l'set. ends supported by theshafts 30 and 3l. lit' desire@ supporting blocks or strips rl2 may be bolted or otherwise secured, at Lento 'the bars lll to support the portions ot the inner stretehes et the chains between said rollers 23S, :is shown in Fig. l ot the drawings.

The beet pulling and eleif'ating member justI described elevates the beets to two hoi-izontully disposed und longitudinally extending worms Llfl arranged in advance of a eut.- ting nieeluinisui cons sting, preferably/g o two rotating cutting disks or blades The worms il receive the toliuge of the beets bttweeu theni and not only feed the beets i.' Wardly but also pull the foliage upwai so that the upper ends of the body pottlons of the beets will be held elese to tne bottoni iaees of the Worms, which l iter :ire disposed in'unediately above the cutting disks Ll5 in order tlnit the beetsy will be uniformly to d close to said upper ends of their bodif` worms llt have yregistering spirally arranged grooves and ribs to elleet the resultjust inentioned und they turn in opposite directions indicated by Ithe ari-OWS in li`ig. Said Worms u 'e lined to horizontal shafts 4G, Y connected by meshing cog gears lu-l so that they turn in unison. The projecting rear end ol. the shaft A ll'is connected by s, sprocket chain gearing 4st) to a. longitudinally extend ing shaft 50, which is in turn eonneeted by beveled gears 5l to one end of the neunten shaft 3G, as shown more clearly in Fig. l ot the drawings. The cutting disks Ll5 are fixed to vertical shafts 52 iouri iled at their lower ends in the bearings 35 und :it tlieitn upper ends in bern-ings y53 secured to the arch 4. The cutting disks lo are pre Fernbly toothed :is shown. @n the lower portions ol the shal'ts are beif'eled pinions 531i which ,el to the eountershett rows of beveled geel* teeth 5G which inesii with the pnions 54 and outer .rows of beveled geur teeth 57 which mesh with beveled pinions 58, txed to the shafts 3l o'l the beet. prilling and elevating mechanism. v

The body portions ot the beets, after their tops or Afoliage have been sei/ered by the eutting device e5 drop into a receiving box or having an inclined bottoni which tlieui to a discharge elevator 60 .eifably in the forni ot a. slatted endless x t :irranged in an upwardly and laterally proie( ng it'ranie Sil carried by the main fi'aiw-- l id dii'seharge el vator or eonveyer .ower end pas ing around a drivnv longltiulinally extending end ot which latter is eona sprocket chain geuring 63 to the neeted im, shaft 50.

lt will inuehine be seen tlmt all of the parts of the ere. driven from the countershalt 3e', Whiizli l 'er is in turn driven `troni one ot the n" T by attaching to the lutter a sprocket wheel t which is connected by a sprocket chain t'i'i 'lo a spioeltet, pinion 6G loo y urrunged ou the shattlt Jfor sliding n'ioif'enient. One end of the hub ot the pinI- ion or Wheel (Bti 'forms a clutch uieinberivhieh eo-aets with a eluteh member GT fixed to 'the shaft t3 to rotation therewith. The other end ot the liub ot the pinion to is operatively connected to a eluteh operating lever (3S mounted on the .traine and adapted to vbe. loeleil in adjust l position by a segmental rack and ggiiisledei/iee till. t eoil spring 70 is arranged ou the shaft 36 and tends to toreo the pinion U6 normally into engagement with the eluteh iii-einher t3?.

ln operation, the inuehine is drawn through a i'ield vnd over u row et beets by draft ani l, to the tongue lt). 'lhe plows e rth on opposite sides of the f ieet ing ngers Q3 and chains et the foliage of the beets ling and. elevating Chains 27, eiee'tiyely grip the foliage of the bee between their opposing stretches and not only pull the beets out of the ground but elevate them to the feeding Worms 44, which letter lo serve :is gage devices to hold the beets in e propel1 position with .respect to the cutting disks l5 so that they will be in toi-nity topped. rlfhe body portions of the beets tall into the hopper 59 and from latter are elevated by the eonveyer 60 which discharges them into a wagon drawn lirongl the [leid alongside of the machine` By adjusting the lever l5, the 'front end of the freine, and hence the digging mechanisin, muy be raised or lowered as may be found necessary and said end of the frame may e be elevated entirely out of the ground when the machine is to be moved .trom piace to place. By operating the lever the machine may be readily thrown into or outV of gear.

Having thus described the invention what, is vclaimed is:

l. ln a machinerof the character described, a pullingmechanism ctnisisting of two downwardly inclined series of superposcd endless chains, the chains of one series being' opposed to those of the other, suitably mounted shafts, sprocket wheels upon said shafts for said chains, longitudinally e."- lending bars having olli'set ends supported from said shafts, other shaftsl journalcd upon said bars, large and small flanged supporting rollers upon the last mentioned sha t'ts and adapted to engage the opposing streii'znes of the chains 'to support the same a iinsty lateral movement, the large rollers ei, said second i'nentioned shafts alternating with the small rollers-'thereon and being disposed opposite. the small rollers on the opposing shafts, whereby the inner stretches o t' the opposing chains of the two series will be laterally offsety with respect to ach other to canse the foliage of the vegetable to be bent into zigzag shape and effectively gripped by the chains and means for driving said chains.

2. .in a machine. of the character described, a pulling mechanism consisting of two downwardly inclined series of superposed endless chains, the chains of one series heing. opposel to those of the other, suitably mounted shafts, sprocket wheels upon said shafts for said chains, longitiulinally extending bars liavingotfset ends supported. from said sha` other shafts journaled upon said hars, large and small liangedz supporting rollers upon the last mentioned shafts' and adapted to engage the oppositie' stretches of the chains to support the same against lateral movement, the large rollers of said second mentioned shafts alternating with the small rollers thereon and being disposed opposite the small rollers on the opposing shafts. whereby .the inner stretches of the opposing chains of the-two`series will be laterally oti'set with respect to each othcrzto cause the foliage of the vegetable to be bent into zigzag shape and effectively gripped by thc chains, longitudinally7 extending supiorting strips secured to said bars between the ilangfd rollers and projecting inwardly to ,support the inner opposing stretches of the chains. and `means for driving said chains.

5%. Vin a machine of the character (flescrihed, the combination ot' a pulling mechanism consisting ot' two downwardly inclined series of superposed endlesschains, the chains of one. serie-i being opposed to those of the other, suitably mounted shafts, sprocket wheels :pon said sliafts for sai(I chains, longitudinally extending bars ha ving offset lends suplposed opposite the small rollers ported from said shafts, ollur shafts joui'- naled upon said bars, large and small flanged supporting rollers upon the last mentioned.

shafts and adapted to engage the opposing stretches of the chains to support the same against. lateraltmovemcnt, the large rollers on said second mentioned shafts alternating with the small rollers thereon and being dison the opposing shafts. whereby the inner stretches of the opposing c rains of the two series will be late 'ally offset with respect to cach other to cause the 'foliage ot' the vegetable to bc bentintol zigzag shape and eii'ectively gripped by the chains. means for driving said chains, digging mechanism ar anged 1n advance of said pulling' mechanism, foliage dctlecting lingers arranged in advance o't the digging mechanism, sprocket wheels upon said lingers and upon the first mentioned shafts, andcndless foliage deliecting chains passed around the last mentioned sprocket wheels.

4. ln a machine of the character described, the combination of a pulling mechanism consisting of two dtnrmvardly inclined series of superposed endless chains. the chains of one series being opposed to those of the other. suitably mounted shafts. sprocket wheels upon said shafts for said chains, longitudinally extending bars having' offset ends supported from said shafts, other shafts journaled upon said bars. large and small flanged suimorting rollers upon the last mentioned shafts and adapted to engage the opposing stretches of the chains to support. the same againstlatcral movement, the large rollers on said second mentioned shafts alternating with the small rollers thereon and being disposed opposite the small rollers on the opposing shafts, whereby the inner stretches of the opposing chains of the two series will be laterally offset with respect to each other to cause the foliage of the vegetable to be bent. into zigzag shape and effectively gripped by the' chains, means for driving said chains, a digging mechanism arranged in advance of said pulling mechanism, a pair of horizontally disposed rotary cutting disks, horizontally disposed, longitudinally extending rotary lfeeding worms arranged to receive the vegetablesfrom the pulling chains and to move them against the cutting disks and means for actuating said feeding worms and cutting' disks.

5. ln a i'nachine of the character described. the combination of a mainframe having side bars and connecting arches, supporting and driving wheels for the rear portion of the frame, means for vertically adjusting the front portion of the frame, dio'inng shovels .secured to the forward portions of the side l bars ot the frameand depending therefrom, brackets upon the forward portions ot the side bars, a transverse shaft noon the rear portigin of the frame and driven from one of said 'supporting and drive wheels, bearings upon said shaft and one of the arches of said franie, forwardly7 inclined .rear shafts journalcd in said bearings, forwardly inclined front shafts journalcd in said brackets, opposing` series of superposed pulling chains .inounted upon and driven from said front and vrear inclined shafts and means for iinparting the motion of said tansversc shaft to said rear inclined shafts.

ln a machine of the character described, thc combination of a main frame havin` side hars and connecting arches` supporting and driving wheels for the rear portion of the frame, means for vertically adjustingl the front portion of the fraine, digging shovels secured to the forward portions of the side bars of the frame and depending therefron'l, bracketsupon the forward.portions of the side bars, a transverse shaft upon thc rear portion of thc frainc and driven' from one of said supporting; and drive wheels, bearings upon said. shaft and one of the arches .of said frame, forwardly inclined rear shafts journalcd in said bearings, forwardly inclined front shafts journalcd in said brackets, opposingl series of superposed pulling chains mounted upon and driven from said front and rear inclined shafts, foliage detlecting fingers projecting from the forward end of the main frame, foliage detiectingl chains supported by said lingers and driven from said front inclined shafts, horizontally disposed cutting disks7 shafts for the latter, horizontally disposed feeding worms between the pulling` chains and saidcutting disks, shafts for said worms and means for driving the worin shafts, the cutter shafts and the rear inclined shafts from said transverse bar.

7. ln a machine ofthe character described,

s. nadeel side bars, a transverse shaft upon the rear l portion of the frame and driven from one of said supporting and drive Wheels, bearinfrs upon said shaft and one of the arches of said frame, forwardly inclined rear shafts journaled in said bearings, forwardly inclined front shafts journaled in said brackets, opposing series of superposed pulling chains mounted upon and driven from said front and rear inclined shafts, horizontally dis-- posed cutter disks, upright shafts for the latter, hearings for the last mentioned shafts arranged in one of the arches of the main frame and on said transverse shaft, horie zontally disposed feeding worins between the pulling chains and the cutting disks, shafts for said worms, a receiving receptacle arranged beneath said worms and cutting disks, a laterally projecting discharge c0nveyer extending from said receiving receptacle, and means for imparting the motion of said transverse shaft to said discharge oonveyer, to the shafts of the feeding worms, to the shafts of the cutting disks and to said rear inclined shafts.

in testimony whereof we hereunto aliiX our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HERSCHEL V. LEE. ORLAN S. lllEE.y CRAWFORD F. LEE. Witnesses:

.Asn T. HAZELRIGG, L. M. AsHER. 

